by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER V.
THE EMPTY HUTCH.
At breakfast that morning Lady Ascot noticed how tired Maggie looked--herblue eyes were swollen as if she had been crying, her pretty cheeks werevery red, and she did not come to table with at all her usual appetite.Maggie always breakfasted with her father and mother. She also had herearly dinner at their lunch, but her own lunch and tea she took in theschoolroom with Miss Grey. Miss Grey was now present at thebreakfast-table, and so also was Ralph. Ralph was a very slight and thinboy, with a dark face and bright eyes. He looked uncommonly well thismorning, remarkably neat in his person, and altogether a striking contrastto poor disheveled little Maggie. Maggie felt afraid to raise her eyes fromher plate. When her mother noticed her fatigue and languor, she knew thatRalph's quizzical and laughing gaze was upon her, and that his lips weresoftly moving to the inaudible words:
"Little muff, she got up in the middle of the night! She got up in themiddle of the night!"
Maggie would have been quite saucy enough, and independent enough, to beindifferent to these remarks of Ralph's, and perhaps even to pay him backin his own coin, but for the loss of the rabbits. Bianco and Lily weregone, however; the hutch was empty; it was all the little princess' fault,and, in consequence, her versatile spirits had gone down to zero. With allher faults--and she had plenty--Maggie was far too honest a child to thinkof concealing what she had done from her cousin. She meant to tell him, butshe had dreaded very much going through her revelation, and she felt thathis contempt and anger would be very bitter and hard to bear. Maggie alwayssat next her father at breakfast, and he now patted her on her hot cheeks,looked tenderly at her, and piled the choicest morsels on her plate.
"The little maid does not look quite the thing," Sir John called across thetable to his wife. "I think we must give her a holiday. Miss Grey, youwon't object to a holiday, I am sure, and Ralph and Maggie will have plentyto do with one another."
"If you please, sir," here burst from Ralph, "do you mind coming round withme after breakfast and seeing to the accommodation of the rabbits andpigeons? I think my rabbits want a larger and better hutch, if you please,Uncle John."
"All right, my boy, we'll see about them," replied the good-natured uncle."Hullo, little maid, what is up with you--where are you off to?"
"I--I don't want any breakfast. I'm tired," said Maggie, and before herfather could again interrupt her she ran out of the room.
Her heart was full, there was a limit to her endurance; she could not gowith Sir John and her Cousin Ralph to look at the empty hutch. She wonderedwhat she should do; she wished with all her heart at this moment thatRalph had never come, that he had never brought those tiresome andbeautiful rabbits to tempt her to open the door of their prison, and sounwittingly set them free. She ran once more into the garden, and went in aforlorn manner into the shrubbery; she had a kind of wild vain hope thatBianco and Lily might be tired of having run away, and might have returnedto their new home. She approached the rabbit-hutch; alas! the truants werenowhere in sight; she stooped down and looked into the empty home; and justat this moment voices were heard approaching, the clear high voice of herboy cousin, accompanied by Sir John's deeper tones. Maggie had nothing forit but to hide, and the nearest and safest way for her to accomplish thisfeat was to climb into a large tree which partly over-shaded therabbit-hutch. Maggie could climb like any little squirrel, and Sir John andRalph took no notice of a rustling in the boughs as they approached. Herheart beat fast; she crouched down in the green leafy foliage, and hopedand trusted they would not look up. There was certainly no chance of theirdoing that. When Ralph discovered that his pets were gone, he gave vent tosomething between a howl and a cry of agony, and then, dragging his uncleby the arm, they both set off in a vain search for the missing pets--Biancoand Lily. No one knew better than poor Maggie did how slight was theirchance of finding them. She wondered if she might leave her leafy prison,if she would have time to rush in to nurse or mother before Ralph cameback. She thought she might try. It would be such a comfort to put her headon mother's breast and tell the story to this sympathizing friend. She hadjust made the first rustling in the old tree, preparatory to her descent,when Sir John's portly form was seen returning. He was coming back alone,and, after a fashion he had, was saying aloud:
"Very strange occurrence. 'Pon my word, quite mysterious. Whoever did openthe door of the hutch? Surely Jim would not be so mischievous! I mustquestion him, and if I think the young rascal is telling me a lie, heshall go--yes, he shall go. I won't be humbugged. And Ralph, poor lad! It'sa disgrace to have my sister's son annoyed in this way on the very firstmorning of his visit. Why, hullo, Maggie, little woman! What are you doingup there?"
"I'm coming down if you'll just wait a minute, father," called down Maggie."Oh, please, father, stand close under the tree, and don't let Ralph seeus. I'm coming down as hard as ever I can. There, please stretch up yourhand, father; when I catch it I'll jump."
"Into my arms," said Sir John, folding her tight in a loving embrace. "Mydarling, you are not well. You are all trembling. What is the matter,little woman?"
"Nothing, father; only I wanted to speak to you so badly, and I didn't wantRalph to hear. I heard you say that perhaps Jim did it, and you'd send himaway. 'Twasn't Jim, 'twas me. I'm miserable about it--'twas all me,father."
"All you? Mag-Mag, what do you mean?"
"I let them out, father. I gave poor Bianco and Lily some nice lettuceleaves just here under the tree. See, they have not quite finished what Igave them. While they were feeding I thought I'd clean the hutch to pleaseRalph, and I ran round to the hay-rick for some fresh hay, and when I cameback Bianco and Lily were gone. I spent all the time before breakfastlooking for them, but I couldn't see them anywhere. Poor Jim had nothing todo with it, father. I did see Jim this morning. I think he's an awfullygood boy. Father, Jim had nothing to do with opening the door of thehutch--it was all me."
"Yes, Maggie, so it seems. Ah! here comes Ralph himself. Now, my dearlittle maid, you really need not be frightened. I'll undertake to break thetidings to Master Ralph. You were a good child to tell me the truth,Maggie."
"I can't find them anywhere, uncle," called back Ralph, in his high voice."Who could have been the mischievous person? Don't you think it was verywicked, Uncle John, for any one to open my hutch door? I expect some thiefcame and stole them. I suppose you are a magistrate, Uncle John; I hope youare, and that you'll have a warrant issued immediately, so that the personwho stole my Bianco and Lily may find themselves locked up in prison. Why,if that is not Maggie standing behind you. How very, very queer you look,Maggie!"
Sir John laid his hand on Ralph's shoulder.
"The fact is, my lad," he said, "this poor dear little maid of mine hascome to me with a sad confession. It seems that she is the guilty person.She gave your rabbits something to eat, and let them out in order that theymight enjoy their meal the better. Then it occurred to her to get somefresh hay for the hutch, and while she was away Bianco and Lily took itinto their heads to play truants. You must forgive Maggie, Ralph; she meantno harm. If the rabbits are not found I can only promise to get you anotherpair as handsome as money can buy."
While his uncle was speaking Ralph's face had grown very white.
"I don't want any other rabbits, thank you, Uncle John," he said. "It waspoor little Jo gave me Bianco and Lily, and I was fond of them; otherrabbits would not be the same."
"I only hope, Ralph, your pets will be found. I shall send a couple of mento search for them directly. In the mean time, you must promise me not tobe angry with my poor little girl; she meant no harm."
"Oh, I'm not angry," said Ralph; "most girls are muffs; Jo isn't, but thenshe's not like other people." He turned on his heel and sauntered slowlyaway.
It is difficult to say how the affair of the rabbits would have terminated,and how soon Maggie would have been taken back into Ralph's favor, but justthen, on the afternoon of that very day in fact, an event occurred whichturned every one's t
houghts into a fresh channel.
Lady Ascot received a telegram announcing the dangerous illness of herfavorite and only sister--it was necessary that she and Sir John shouldstart that very night for the North to see her. The question then arose.What was to become of the two children?
"Send us to mother, of course," promptly said Ralph.
"Hullo!" exclaimed Sir John; "why, I declare if it isn't a good thought.Violet wouldn't mind having you both on a visit for a fortnight or so, andMiss Grey could go with you, so that your mother need have no extratrouble. Remember, Ralph, you are bound to us for the summer, my boy, andwe only lend you to your mother for a few days. You quite understand?"
"Lend me to mother; no, I'm sure I don't understand that," said Ralph. "Oh!Maggie," he exclaimed suddenly, in all his old brightest manner, "if we goto London, you'll see Jo!"
"I'll go off this very moment and telegraph to my sister," said Sir John;"the children and Miss Grey can start to-morrow morning. It's all arranged.It is a splendid plan."
In five minutes the plan was made which was to exercise so large aninfluence over little Maggie, which was, in short, completely to alter herlife. Sir John sent off his telegram, and in the course of the afternoonhis sister, Mrs. Grenville, replied to it. She would be ready to receiveRalph and Maggie the next day, and would be pleased also to have Miss Grey,Maggie's governess, accompany the children. Maggie had never seen London;and Ralph became eloquent with regard to its charms.
"It will be delightful for you," he said; "of course I am rather tired ofit, for I have been everywhere and seen all the sights, but it will reallybe very nice for you. You are young, you know, Maggie, and you'll have togo to the places where quite the little children are seen; Madame Tussaud'sis one, and the Zoological Gardens is another. Oh, won't it be fun to seeyou jumping when the lions roar!"
At these words of Ralph's Maggie turned rather pale, and perceiving that hehad made an impression, he proceeded still further to work on her feelings,describing graphically the scene at the Zoo when the lions are fed, thecruel glitter in the eyes of the hungry beasts, and the awful sound whichthey make when they crush the great bones of meat provided for them.
"You mustn't go too near their cages," said Ralph; "nobody knows how stronga lion is; and though the cages are made with very large bars of iron, yetstill----" Here Ralph made an expressive pause.
Maggie opened her blue eyes, remained quite silent for a moment, for shedid not wish Ralph to suppose that she was really afraid of the lions, andthen she said softly:
"I'm not going to the Zoo--at least not at first. I'm going to do mylessons with Miss Grey in the hours when the lions are fed. I know it'svery good of me, but I'm going to be good, 'cause I am so sorry about yourrabbits, Ralph."
"So you ought to be," said Ralph, turning red; "but weeks and weeks ofbeing sorry won't bring them back. When people do very careless andthoughtless things, being sorry doesn't mend matters. You ask mother, andshe'll explain to you. But please don't say anything more about Bianco andLily. I want to know what you mean by saying that you'll do your lessons atthe hour the lions are fed. You do your lessons at the hour that most suitsMiss Grey, don't you?"
Maggie nodded.
"Yes," she said, "I'm going to please poor Miss Grey too; I'm going to bevery good."
"Well, Miss Grey won't like to be kept at home in the afternoons teachingyou your lessons--she'll like to be out amusing herself in the afternoon. Icall that more thoughtlessness. You'll have to do your lessons in themorning, and the lions are fed at three o'clock, so that excuse won'tserve."
"I'm not going to the Zoo," continued Maggie, who began to feel decidedlyworried. "If Miss Grey wants to be out in the afternoon, I'll go to MadameTussaud's then. I don't like that Zoo, and I'm not fond of lions; but Iexpect Madame Tussaud's must be a nice sort of place."
"Oh--oh--oh," said Ralph, beginning to jump about on one leg; "you see thechamber of horrors before you make up your mind whether it's a nice sort ofplace or not. Why, at Madame Tussaud's you always have your heart in yourmouth because you don't know whether the wax figures are alive or not; andyou are always saying, 'I beg your pardon;' and you are always knocking upagainst people whom you think are alive and want to speak to you, when theyare only big wax dolls; and whenever you give a little start and show byyour face that you have made a mistake, the real live people laugh. I cantell you, Maggie, you have to mind your p's and q's at Madame Tussaud's."
"I won't go," said Maggie; "I need not go unless I like;" and then shewalked out of the room, beginning seriously to debate in her poor littlemind on the joys of having a playmate, for Ralph contrived at every turn tomake her feel so very small.
